# Simon Tatham's Puzzles vs Mekorama

The clearest difference is ads: Simon Tatham's Puzzles at none against Mekorama's shown. Simon Tatham's Puzzles also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). Mekorama's advantage is ratings volume (8.9K vs 248). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Simon Tatham's Puzzles against 4.7 for Mekorama. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mekorama has 8.9K ratings behind it against 248, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 95% of Simon Tatham's Puzzles's written reviews are positive against 97% of Mekorama's.

Simon Tatham's Puzzles ships an update every 2 weeks, Mekorama monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simon Tatham's Puzzles | Mekorama |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simon-tathams-puzzles/id622220631/reviews)** | [4.7 (8.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mekorama/id1079464948/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 248 | **8.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 94.6% of reviews | **96.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Greg Hewgill](https://appshunter.io/developer/517923493) | [Fancade](https://appshunter.io/developer/1770270328) |

## What reviewers say

### Simon Tatham's Puzzles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simon-tathams-puzzles/id622220631)

Explore a diverse collection of 38 engaging single-player puzzle games designed for mobile devices. Enjoy a wide variety of challenges, from logic and spatial reasoning to pattern recognition and strategy.

**Highlights:** 38 single-player puzzle games, Variety of puzzle types, Logic and strategy challenges, Spatial reasoning puzzles, Pattern recognition games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great variety of puzzles
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases
- 👍 Simple, intuitive interface
- 👍 Customizable difficulty levels
- 👍 Offline playability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with iOS 14
- 👎 Lack of zoom/scaling options
- 👎 Reliance on long-press controls can be awkward
- 👎 Some puzzles not as intuitive on mobile

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup with iOS 14
- Filling/marking not working properly in some puzzles

**Requested features**

- Zoom/scaling options for larger puzzles
- Alternative control schemes (e.g. tap-to-flag)
- Inclusion of all puzzles from desktop version


### Mekorama

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mekorama/id1079464948)

Guide a small robot through 50 intricate mechanical dioramas to reach its home. Enjoy relaxing gameplay with charming robots and collect level cards. Create your own dioramas with the built-in maker.

**Highlights:** 50 mechanical dioramas, Relaxing gameplay, Charming robots, Collectible level cards, Diorama maker, Small install size

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and fun gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🎶 Relaxing and interactive music
- 💡 Ability to create and share custom levels
- 👍 Smooth and responsive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Limited camera controls
- 💰 Hints locked behind paywall
- 🤔 Difficulty curve can be uneven

**Reported bugs**

- Robot getting stuck or falling off platforms
- Inconsistent QR code scanning for user levels
- Occasional crashes or performance issues

**Requested features**

- Expand level creation tools
- Add more block types and textures
- Improve AI robot behavior
- Implement a level rating/sharing system
- Allow free camera movement in creator mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simon Tatham's Puzzles free?

Simon Tatham's Puzzles is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mekorama free?

Mekorama is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Simon Tatham's Puzzles or Mekorama?

Simon Tatham's Puzzles is rated higher. Simon Tatham's Puzzles averages 4.8 out of 5 from 248 ratings, while Mekorama averages 4.7 from 8.9K ratings.

### Do Simon Tatham's Puzzles or Mekorama have ads?

Mekorama shows ads; Simon Tatham's Puzzles does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simon Tatham's Puzzles or Mekorama?

Simon Tatham's Puzzles ships an update every 2 weeks, and Mekorama monthly. Most recently, Simon Tatham's Puzzles was updated on November 6, 2026 and Mekorama on November 9, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*